Thankfully, Christmas/holiday over for another year! Very interesting time with more pieces of this puzzle being revealed.

Monday before Christmas, brother and sis-in-law took mother out for early dinner. She was able see her granddaughter too. When they'd gone home, she opened cards. The one from him read "to a special Mum from your Son" and "you're the only important one at this time". The picture was very dark (a sympathy card when someone has died is brighter). My mother was very upset at the wording, although he'd put his wife's name inside. Very odd, as in the past she had colourful cards with wording such as "to a very special Mum" or "to a wonderful Mum". Sometimes we can't always find the ideal card, but usually say "sorry card isn't what we wanted to get".

When she showed me on Christmas Eve, was obvious how upset she was. I said it was very odd to send a card like that. Mother now wondering if it was done deliberately. My view was it's possible, given sis-in-law's unacceptable behaviour towards me. Mother now wondering if she's trying to isolate her too.
Have also found out that as well as spending today with sis-in-law's older daughter (not my brother's child), they'll be there New Years Eve too.

Mother will be tackling him about the card sometime in the future. Our discussion was very frank, although I didn't tell her everything that had been said in past. She's also not surprised that he hasn't apologised to me and didn't argue when I said he'd lied to her. Very sad that he now has no respect for his mother too.